author
Plymouth Cordage Company
A major force in American industry, this historic Massachusetts rope maker helped supply ships, railroads, and factories for well over a century. Its story opens a window onto manufacturing, maritime trade, and the working life of Plymouth itself.
1 Audiobook
The story of rope : The history and the modern development of rope-making
by Plymouth Cordage Company
About the author
Founded in Plymouth, Massachusetts, in 1824, the Plymouth Cordage Company grew into one of the best-known rope manufacturers in the United States. The company became especially important in the age of sail and steam, producing rope and twine for maritime use as well as for other industries that depended on strong, reliable cordage.
Over time, the business expanded dramatically and became a defining part of Plymouth's industrial identity. Histories of the company describe its long ropewalks, large waterfront works, and outsized role in the town's economy, while later accounts note that it was once regarded as the world's largest rope manufacturer.
Today, the Plymouth Cordage Company is remembered less as a single authorial voice than as an industrial institution whose publications and legacy preserve the history of rope-making. For listeners interested in manufacturing history, labor, or New England industry, its story offers a vivid look at how one specialized craft shaped a community and served a changing modern world.